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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/marvin-derksen/without-equal/
I'm reading the Gospel of John now, chapter 1. John's Gospel, chapter 1, we'll read verse number 14. John chapter 1 and verse number 14. As far as we know, John was a man very likely in his 90s when he wrote these words.
Verse 14, and the word was made flesh, became flesh, and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Hebrews chapter 10. For a second reading, Hebrews chapter 10 and verse number 11.
Hebrews chapter 10, verse 11, and every priest standeth daily, ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Second Corinthians chapter 9. For a third reading, Second Corinthians chapter 9 and the well-known verse, verse number 15. Second Corinthians chapter 9, verse number 15, Paul writes, thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
One final reading in Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians chapter 3 and verse number 8. Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.
It was Mr. Norman Crawford that used this illustration one time. He referred to another preacher by the name of George Chivas. Now that's a name likely known to some of the older believers here, preacher from northern Ontario.
He has gone home to heaven before I was even saved, as far as I know. But George Chivas was met by a man one time at the end of a gospel meeting, and the man was quite stirred up. He said to Mr. Chivas, he said, you people preach some very extreme things.
Apparently he was kind of overwhelmed by the style of preaching and maybe even by the content. You people preach some very extreme things. Well Mr. Chivas was pretty quick on the response. He said, you know sir, you are right, you are right.
It was extreme guilt that caused God to give his son, and it was extreme love that brought the Savior from above, and it was extreme grace that provided so great salvation. Yes sir, you are absolutely right, we do preach some very extreme things.
I don't really want to preach extreme things tonight, but I would like to present truths that are without equal. Because tonight we have read of a person with an unparalleled life, and we have read of a person with an incomparable death, and we have read of God's indescribable gift, and we have read of salvation's unsearchable riches.
This is all linked with one man, our Lord Jesus Christ. Mr. Jack Gould, who I think is maybe gone now, he was here this afternoon or today. He and I were in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan just two, three weeks ago.
The meetings were small. Can't say that we turned the world upside down there. But I was shocked in one sense to hear the response of a university student that came out to one of those meetings, he didn't come back.
Very likely the very first time he'd ever been at a gospel meeting. And he said to his friend Wes, who is a believer, he said, Wes, that was interesting. Never heard anything like that. But he said it was a little bit far out.
He said it was almost like space invaders. That somebody would come from outer space to this world to deal with our problems? It's hard to believe. It's hard to take in. It's not really applicable to me.
And a university student hearing the gospel once couldn't understand that this was not a myth. And this is not gospel hall doctrine. And this is not a collective group of belief that people have put together.
He couldn't understand and appreciate that this is God's message. And this is God's son. And this is God's last words. I'm afraid, and I'm likely preaching for the most part to the converted here tonight, but I'm afraid that many times we just assume that our audience has come to terms with this person.
And I'm afraid that many times our children have it in their mind that salvation, you've got to be clever to get it. And you've got to work hard for it. And you've got to twist that Rubik's cube every which way you can.
And it's going to take effort, and agony, and tears. And if you just get the cube the right way, you'll get it. And they have missed the message, and they have missed the person. God's salvation is centered in his son.
And here's John writing now, and he said, the word became flesh and dwelt among us. And we saw it, we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And as John has come to terms, and has come to appreciate, and to value, and to revel in this unparalleled life, he presents to us the Christ, the word that became flesh.
I wonder, have you ever come to appreciate him personally? Have you ever seen any difference in him from every other man, every other person? Because as we examine his life, yes, as we examine his birth, we understand he was absolutely unique.
He was born of a virgin, a virgin birth. Never had been a virgin birth to that point of time, and has never been one since. Absolutely unique. His first bed was a manger. And yet there were shepherds that moved off the fields that night on the basis of an angelic message, and they came and they looked at the Savior of the world.
Good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you was born this day in the city of David a Savior, Christ the Lord. And they came and they looked and they saw a little baby, an amazing birth, an amazing entrance.
I hope you understand and appreciate tonight that that was not the start of his existence. He is the eternal Son of God. Before there was ever a stark road or Livonia, he is the mighty creator. And yet there came a point in time when he stepped into creation.
There was a point in time when the eternal God became a man, when he actually had an age. Goes beyond our understanding, our capacity, but we believe it. And as men and women began to watch and to consider him, they were made aware that his was an unparalleled life.
I've mentioned some time ago that his biography was penned before he was born. And I have suggested many times that his parents, when our children came along, I don't think there was a parent here that had already written a biography as to what their little Johnny was going to become, or their little Susie or Mary or whatever her name is.
We have hopes, we have dreams, we have aspirations for them, but nobody has written a book about them. She's going to be born here and she's going to do this and he will do that and he will become this.
And those are beyond our understanding, our capacity, but his biography was penned before he was born, before he was born. For us, that's fiction. For the Christ, that was fact. Not only his birth, but his life.
Our brother has been reminding us of the reality of our sin. We feel it. I trust we all know it and acknowledge it. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is not one person that has ever been born into this world, apart from him, that was born without sin.
We were sinners from the get-go. And yet here is a man, here is a person that came into this world, he had no sin. Not only did he not have any sin, he couldn't sin. There was never a sinful thought that went through his mind.
There was never a sinful motive that crossed his heart. There was never a sinful action that stained his character. He was without sin and every person that honestly examined him had to come to the same conclusion, I find no fault in him.
The more you look at our character and our track records, oh, you're disappointed, aren't you? Because you're going to see sin and failure and waywardness. The more you look at him, the more perfection you're going to find without sin.
An unparalleled life of amazing power. No, he didn't use it for himself, he used it for others. He demonstrated that his claims were true. He had power over the elements that stormy night when those disciples woke him and said, we were reminded of this this morning, Master, don't you care that we're going down?
We're going to perish? The waves were coming into the boat. And the master of the sea was asleep on the back of the boat. It would have been a tremendous moment to be there as he rises from his hard bed.
And with simple words of power, he turns to the elements, to the wind, to the bellows, to the waves. He said, peace, be still. And in a moment, the wind ceased. In a moment, the waves went flat calm. That had never happened before.
That same person came alongside of a tomb one day and the reality of death was evident as he commanded the stone to be rolled away. And the sister jumps in and says, please don't do it, it's beyond hope.
It's not going to be a nice smell. He said, just roll away the stone. And with words of power, he turns to that cavity and he said, Lazarus, come forth. And a man who'd been dead four days responded to that voice of authority.
Do you believe that's the truth? Do you believe that really happened or is that science fiction? This was a life of unparalleled beauty, unparalleled purpose, unparalleled truth. But friend, not only his power, but there was a man with amazing grace.
And as he came along the sands of time and as he comes to this Saturday night gossip meeting here in Livonia, he is still calling. And he's still looking for you. And he's still calling your name. And he knows where you've been.
He knows where you are. He knows your response to him up to this point. And yet with amazing grace, he says, come unto me, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Our brother Bernie has been speaking about a lack of peace.
And maybe there's someone here tonight and you would love to have peace, peace with the forgiveness of your sins, peace with God, peace for the future. You see, his invitation includes peace. You come to me and I will give you rest.
I will give you peace. Take my yoke upon me, upon you and learn of me, for my yoke is easy, my burden is light, and you shall find rest unto your souls. I think of this man, his unparalleled life with his claims.
He could say, I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life. No man come to the Father but by me. And either that statement is absolutely true or it's a hoax. There's no in between. And if that statement is true, then he comes with an absolute claim as to being the only way to God.
He could say, I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. And this unique person, the Lord Jesus, was marked by an unparalleled life. I wonder, can you say with John, we beheld his glory full of grace and truth and he means everything to us.
But not only an unparalleled life, but I think of an incomparable death. We're living in the reality of death. Every day we live, every day we move down the road, we're reminded, sirens blaring, ambulances passing, police cruisers moving through the streets, the slow movement of hearses, just remind us that death is in the land.
Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned. But you see, here was a death that was unlike any other death. This death is linked with the entrance of sin into this world. One of the most tragic days in the history of this world was the day when sin entered in.
We can't begin to understand the awful, awesome results of what that day brought, but we're living with it. Death passed upon all men. Separation from God, the bondage of sin, the waywardness of our lives, the mess that people make just because of sin.
When sin came in, the human race was ruined. But there came a moment, a wondrous day, when sin was put away. Ah, but it was by the sacrifice of himself. And tonight, this gospel message concerning this person involves a place called Calvary.
If the unparalleled light deals with his incarnation, this incomparable death deals with Calvary. For we have read that there was one who made one offering, one sacrifice for sins, and it was forever.
This is a work of substitution. At the night, this is the very heart of God's great salvation that there was one who came to do a work for us that we could not do for ourselves. The Bible uses a variety of truths to explain this great fact.
He offered one sacrifice for sins. The Bible says Christ also hath once suffered for sins. The Bible says he bare our sin in his own body upon the tree. The Bible says he tasted death for every man. The Bible says he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
And all of those wondrous truths are found in this simple statement, Christ died for our sins. At the night, you could take that great truth and thank God for its verity and thank God for the person who did it and leave cleared, justified of all your sins because this incomparable death took place.
James Anderson Jr. was a young Marine. Likely some of you have heard of him and read of him. He was in the Vietnam Warfare. 20-year-old young Marine moving through the jungle with his comrades one day when they came under tremendous enemy fire.
Very likely it was only about the length of this hall away, 60, 70 feet. Those Marines all dove for cover. They began to return fire. Some of the U .S. Marines were very seriously wounded and as that little group tried to regroup and bunch together there in the jungle flora, suddenly into the very midst came a hand grenade and it came right alongside of James Anderson Jr.'s head.
And that young Marine with no hesitation took that live grenade, put it to his chest, curled around it and absorbed the blast. And in a moment, he willingly gave his life to save about a half a dozen others.
Was he planning to do that that day? No. He was well aware of what warfare was involved. He was well aware of the possible cost of warfare. He was ready to defend his country to advance the cause, but he wasn't expecting and wasn't prepared to give his life that day but he did.
But oh, when we come to Calvary, when we come to this person, when we come to the savior of sinners, we come to a man and that's why he came. And that's what he knew, the journey involved. He knew the cost, he knew the time, he knew the place, he knew what it would involve and willingly, voluntarily, sacrificially he moved to Calvary's cross.
And there in the darkness and the abandonment and the billows, the weight of God's wrath, the storm that should have been upon us was now redirected upon him. And the Bible says, the Lord laid on him the iniquity, the sin of us all.
What was it I learned shortly after I got saved? I learned the verse of a wonderful hymn. I still love to sing it, all my sins were laid upon him. Jesus bore them on the tree, God who knew them, laid them on him and believing I go free.
Why have I enjoyed salvation for 36 years? Because he died for sinners, that's all. He died for me, he took my place and all that I deserve to experience for eternity, it was all paid for by another. An incomparable death.
I wonder what will you do with his work? What will you do with his sacrifice? Will you not tonight accept him and thank him and worship him and adore him? Because we have read of an indescribable gift.
Sometimes the Lord encourages gospel preachers and I guess last week, last Sunday was one of those days. Mr. Oliver and I were in Vancouver, two, three years ago, I can't remember. And there were a number of, quite a vast number of people that were coming.
One of which was a young woman by the name of Elizabeth. I don't recall her coming but she did come. She had assumed the Gothic culture, came in black with chains and we had all kinds. I really didn't know what had happened to Elizabeth.
I heard that she had professed to be saved but I thought, well, who knows? Until last Sunday, she showed up in Hamilton and we began to put some news together, some data. And she said, you know, I got saved in those meetings when you and Mr. Oliver were together.
I said, really? I said, why do I remember that? This time the Gothic is gone. First year university student, modestly dressed, lovely attractive face, a girl that is enjoying salvation. And I said, Elizabeth, how many times did you come?
She said, four times. I said, what was it about that message that attracted you? Well, she said, I just understood that I didn't have to do a thing, that he had done it all and that it was a gift that God was giving to me.
And she said, I just took it. Is that hard to do? Do you have to be a university professor to understand that? That this is a gift that is being offered to you young people here, to your teenagers, to those that are older.
This is a gift with no price tag attached, with no conditions underlined. This is a gift that is an undeserved offer. We don't deserve this gift. Thanks be unto God for his amazing gift, unspeakable gift.
I think Paul was speaking about the person and yet with that person has come the blessing of God's wonderful salvation. I don't have the vocabulary to describe the blessing of salvation, but oh, I must say I'm enjoying it.
It's great, great to be here. Great to know you're going to heaven. An undeserved offer with a universal scope. This takes every one of us in tonight. You could be saved. You could take this gift home.
You could know your sins forgiven. It has a universal scope. It has unlimited blessing. You know, God doesn't come along and say, no, you haven't quite measured up. So I'll just give you about 10 of the gift.
Now that would be great if we got even 10%, but he said, no. He said, every blessing, every blessing in the heavenlies are yours in Christ. And you could have it for all eternity. There's eternal enjoyment.
Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Would you not be willing to receive the Lord Jesus tonight as your savior? You don't have to do anything. It's not a matter of measuring up, not a matter of paying any amount, not a matter of trying to attain some kind of a standard or turn over a new leaf and suddenly really become a better person.
This is a gift for those that don't deserve it, who are guilty, undone, helpless, vile, ungodly. And yet to every one of us, this gift is being offered. And as we think of this wondrous person, we think of unsearchable riches.
Paul was overwhelmed. But to me, who am the last and the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. My time is gone, but let me just tell you this about some of the unsearchable riches.
There is an untold story that is linked with his riches. The 21st chapter of John that our brother Dennison read from this morning, he didn't read this, but this is an amazing, amazing statement there.
Actually, John writes, there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written, everyone I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.
Is that exaggeration? This book doesn't exaggerate. This book tells the truth. And if everything that was written would be written, this world with all of its massive libraries and with all of its mega buildings could not contain the truth that's linked with this person.
There's an unwritten story. And I think for all eternity, we're gonna be students of that unwritten story. Why, did you understand that? Can you appreciate that? It's amazing. The untold story concerning the riches of this wondrous savior.
He's marked with an unequaled name. You know, when people heard of the Lord Jesus, there were some that said, oh, that's a wonderful name. I wish Bartimaeus could come here tonight. And I wish he could stand right here and I'd be able to say, Bartimaeus, please tell this crowd what the name of Jesus means to you.
I always say, I remember the day. I was in the darkness of my blindness. Hadn't been able to see for years. But one day I heard that it was Jesus who was passing by and I knew, I knew that he was the savior and he was a sovereign.
And I knew he could meet my need. And he began to call out what he say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And for millions since then, they have come to see and appreciate the fragrance of that name.
Thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall save his people from their sins. I wish Thomas could stand on this side. And I wish I could speak to Thomas. Tell this audience tonight what the name of Christ means to you.
Ah, he said, I remember that Sunday morning. I was a skeptic. I didn't believe the report. But that Sunday I saw him. I saw the wounds. I saw the wounds. Oh, what did you do, Thomas? I couldn't help but worship him.
My Lord, my God. He is an unequaled name. God hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name. The name of Jesus, every knee shall bow. My friend, you are gonna bow before him one of these days, either as savior or as Lord.
I close with this. He has uncontested sovereignty. You say, what does that mean? I can't help but think of John's words as he comes at the end of the revelation. And he writes these words, and I saw a great white throne and him that sat upon it from whose face the heavens and the earth, the earth and the heavens fled away and there was found no place for them.
What's he describing? He's describing a man with uncontested sovereignty from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And I saw the dead small and great stand before him drawn together by his mighty power.
And when books will be opened, the sovereignty, the government of that person will be put into effect concerning your endless doom or if you know him as your savior. That moment when we will see him will be marked by endless glory.
You see, salvation is not just some kind of a story that you or an experience that you go through. Yes, it is an experience. We pass from death to life. But salvation is found in a person. We beheld his glory.
We came to appreciate him and to accept him. At the night, I trust that you might not miss the savior, that you might receive him. And as John writes, he says, as many as receive him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, even to them that believe in his name.
I trust tonight will be a night of salvation blessing by receiving him. Shall we pray? Our Father,.